In June 1944, L/Cpl Oxley was a serving tank
crewmember with the 2nd Battn., Northants Yeomanry, an armoured unit.
The Yeomanry landed on the Normandy beachhead some time after D-Day and
took part in the defence of the perimeter. At the break out, he was part
of the British 2nd Army push, that rushed through France and halted along
the Belgian border. The 2nd Yeomanry took quite a beating on their journey
north and on Aug 20th a number of disbanded members, including L/Cpl
Oxley were attached to the 1st Royal Tank Regiment which was to become
part of 7th Armoured Division - the famed Desert Rats.

On the 16th September, General Montgomery's plan to capture the bridge at
Arnhem began. An armoured column from XXX Corps started out on the 64 mile
long journey along a single tree lined road through flat, wet countryside
that was defended by a stubborn and well-equipped foe. William Oxley and
7th Armoured Div., were under XII Corps and assigned the defence of the
thrust along left flank on the drive north. The loss in men and material
was substantial and on September 24 the decision to withdraw the 1st
Airborne from Arnhem was taken. At this stage the fighting was intense
and German 88 mm weapons took an awful toll on the thin walled Sherman
tanks of 7th Armoured Div. On September 29 1944 1st, Royal Tank Regiment
was situated near the Dutch town of Nisterode some 50 miles from Arnhem,
when C squadron was ordered south to cut the road between Dinther and
Hertogenbosch, one tank was set on fire and a second tank was hit by an
accurate bazooka shell.

From his hospital card, it is certain that it was in one of these
engagements that 24 year old L/ Cpl William Oxley from far away Milton
Malsor lost his life.